'It looks like we’re going to stay in the Premier League so silverware is the aim to take the club forward' - James Morrison

Baggies midfielder says players are determined to do all they can to bring the FA Cup to The Hawthorns

James Morrison holds off two players in the game between West Bromwich Albion and Fulham at The Hawthorns

James Morrison has challenged Albion to take their impressive campaign on to the next level by making a push for FA Cup glory.

The 26-year-old was one of four current Albion employees involved in the 1-0 defeat to Portsmouth in the FA Cup semi-final five years ago.

The Baggies were beaten by a Kanu goal, which was sourced by a Milan Baros handball during the build-up.

Albion’s sense of injustice lingered on, not least as the Pompey side at the time included players earning in excess of £60,000 a week – financial mismanagement which has impacted on their decline since.

Portsmouth, who went on to lift the FA Cup the following month, were managed at the time by Harry Redknapp.

The veteran boss is now in charge of Albion’s third-round opponents, Queens Park Rangers.

Morrison, who was also a non-playing member of the Middlesbrough squad which reached the 2006 FA Cup semi-final, wants Albion to focus on another cup run.

“Silverware is the next step for the club,” said Morrison, who was joined in that 2008 Albion squad by Zoltan Gera, Chris Brunt and current coach Dean Kiely.

“Last season we finished tenth and if we finish in the top half again, we may do, we may not, it’ll be good.

“It looks like we’re going to stay in the Premier League so silverware is the aim to take the club forward.

“The Championship was the last silverware we got and it’s pretty obvious we should have been achieving that.

“Now we’ve got to take the next step.

“We’ve had a great start this season but I keep referring to going back to Wembley – I fancy a little cup run.

“We’ve got to keep progressing, you can’t just sit on your good work. You have to keep going.

“That’s what all the top teams do and for a club like this to win a cup it would be magnificent.”

Morrison, a former FA Youth winner with Middlesbrough, recalled the Wembley semi-final against Portsmouth.

“We got the chance to play at Wembley in 2008 and it was a great experience,” he added.

“As you get older you want those type of games.

“Portsmouth were the strongest team left in the hat (Cardiff and Barnsley contested the other semi-final) and it’s down to the luck of the draw.

“We thought if we beat them we may have one hand on the cup, although it doesn’t always work out that way.

“It wasn’t to be and we gave it our all.

“I think on the day we were the better team and, with a bit of luck, we could have won.

“As players you tend to forget games easily enough because there are so many.